Strawberry Obsession
by Mandeh-Yaoi-Star
Summary: Obsession can lead to drastic measures with strange consequences. Grimmjow Jaegarjaquez knows all about obsession and it just so happens that his obsession is in the form of Kurosaki Ichigo. Grimmjow/Ichigo - Yaoi -
1. Volume 01

Title: Strawberry Obsession

Rating: MA

Pairing: Grimmjow/Ichigo

Genre: Romance/Drama

Summary: Obsession can lead to drastic measures with strange consequences. Grimmjow Jaegarjaquez knows all about obsession and it just so happens that his obsession is in the form of Kurosaki Ichigo.

Warnings: Yaoi: Male/Male Relationships, Underage Sex(16?), Strong sexual content, Alternate Universe (after the winter war), Drama, Mild Violence, Language.

_**Warning: Somnophilia(Sex while partner is asleep). **_

_**Strawberry Obsession**_

_**oOo Volume 01 oOo**_

Obsession could bring out the best in a man or the worst. Whichever it was, an obsession could not be healthy.

It was a cold dark evening, the skies reminded him of blotted ink the way it stretched over, splashing in awkward layers. Barely a star could be seen, but Grimmjow Jaegarjaquez had no interest in the stars or the skies.

He stood on top of the human world as the Garganta to the Hollow world sealed itself shut. One hand was thrust into his pants pocket and the other was rushing through his bright blue messy hair. For the hundredth time, he had asked himself why he was here. The mundane taste of human souls lingered in the air around him, but he had no taste for them. The answer he received every time he did became the same, 'obsession.'

Ever since the day he had laid eyes upon him, a growing hunger burned deep inside. A growing need reared its ugly head, thrashing and demanding. He hated the feeling but he loved the euphoria he got when he was able to fight with every ounce of his being and yet still be perfectly matched with the sensational strawberry shinigami.

He was delicious and infuriating. Grimmjow had never met another like him and it was because of this, because of their fighting, and because of that hunger that his interest had rose into a maniacal obsession.

Instantly, he zipped across the air, heading toward the destination of the most wild and all consuming reiatsu Grimmjow had ever known. His hunger swirled within him when he stopped in front of a large house and clinic.

'Kurosaki Clinic.'

Every single night, Grimmjow would crouch in front of the square window, watching hungrily as the teen slept curled under sheets. He was a delicacy, something that Grimmjow was not allowed to touch. He could look but to take a bite was a no, no.

His hunger seemed stronger than ever on that night and just watching the rising and falling of the boy's chest from his safe spot at the window was not enough. He pressed his hand to the plate glass and to his surprise and delight it slid aside.

Reiatsu smacked him full on in the face and Grimmjow bowed his head, knees on the sill and his bright blue eyes dilated.

Ichigo was his obsession. Ichigo was his hunger. Ichigo was the cause for everything and it pissed Grimmjow off to hell and back. He always prided himself on being a loner, never mixing or mingling with others. He hated people with every fiber of his being, except for one person.

Ichigo.

As sneakily as a cat, Grimmjow silently stepped into the room. He stepped closer, his shadow engulfing the still bed that lay his object of desire. He paused briefly, fearing the teen would wake but he didn't and when Grimmjow glanced at his bedside, he saw a bottle of liquid.

Instantly, he picked it up and saw that it was a nighttime tranquilizer. It alleviated colds, sneezing, and headaches. The substance had a sleeping agent in it and when Grimmjow smelled it, he wrinkled his nose in disgust. It was horrendously foul.

Was his strawberry sick? Grimmjow wondered placing the item back on the table. He took his hand out of his pocket and very discreetly, he reached out and curled his fingers around the fabric of the covers and pulled it back, his eyes drinking in the ethereal sight before him.

Ichigo's face was relaxed, soft, and nothing like the cross expression he wore every day. He looked for all the world like a beautiful and peaceful teenage boy.

His hair was in a disarray all over his head and Grimmjow traced his features, absorbing them all from so close up. The last time they had been this close, they were trying to kill each other.

Fighting was the only way he was able to appease his obsession, if only temporarily, to have that fiery body so close, those eyes piercing into him. He could feel the heat coming off Ichigo in waves and the spiritual energy curled around him making his still heart want to beat.

Grimmjow hated the feeling but he loved it at the same time. It was one of those contradictory things. Mildly surprise that Ichigo hadn't awoke, Grimmjow took the chance and sat on the edge of the bed and continued to move the covers down until they were at Ichigo's ankles and he licked his lips when he found the teen in nothing but boxer shorts.

Every inch of his tanned flesh was toned with wiry and tight muscles. His stomach was flat showing his hipbone and in that moment, Grimmjow could have drooled by simply gazing at him.

Oh, how close he was, dare he reach out in touch? He longed to dip his head down and lick Ichigo's belly button and taste the skin around it. He wanted to run his teeth along the hipbone and dip further.

He growled lowly and clenched his reacting arousal through his pants and before Grimmjow could stop himself, his hand moved on its own accord. He brushed the back of his knuckles across Ichigo's cheek. It was soft and warm, he waited with bated breath to see if Ichigo woke but he didn't even move.

His obsession was laying there so innocently, so still, and perfect. Grimmjow couldn't help himself. He ran his hand down the boy's neck and across his built chest, sliding down the center.

Damn! Grimmjow thought, he felt better than he looked and he wasn't sure if that had been possible and he just knew now that Ichigo would taste heavenly in his mouth.

Once again, Grimmjow became daring and he leaned over, pressing one hand on the other side of bed until he was face to face with Ichigo and dipped down, running his nose along the groove in his neck. He shivered at the scent and then he flicked out his tongue and brushed it across the sweet skin. Unbelievable! The teen didn't move a muscle, his chest rising and falling gently against Grimmjow's chest.

Grimmjow tested it some more, he cupped Ichigo's right cheek and nibbled down on the left side of his neck before dragging it up to his ear. "Ichigo," he purred darkly. "You're mine, Ichigo."

….

Nothing. If the teen wasn't breathing or warm, Grimmjow would have thought he was dead. His gaze flickered once to the bottle of tranquilizer on the table. That had to be why, no one slept this soundly. He thought feeling excitement and desire rise through him.

Oh, he shouldn't, Grimmjow breathed deep and raised up, staring at the peacefully sleeping human turned Vizard. But it wasn't like Ichigo would ever accept him anyway, Grimmjow sneered at the thought. It wasn't like Ichigo would give him the time of day unless it was for a fight and his obsession wasn't getting any better, in fact, it was becoming worse. More hectic and beginning to spiral out of control and now that he was this close… Grimmjow didn't think he had the restraint to going back.

Before Grimmjow knew it, his hands were running down Ichigo's bare sides, absorbing the lovely sensation of his skin under on his. So perfect, so beautiful.

Just once, Grimmjow thought running his tongue down and kissing along the skin. The teen stirred causing Grimmjow to pause. He kissed again and nibbled along his hip, goose bumps formed across Ichigo's body and he shivered in his sleep.

Ichigo may be asleep, but his body was alive and Grimmjow decided that he would devour it while he could, consequences be damned.

He slid his hand down across the boy's dark red boxers and he smirked when he felt Ichigo's cock reacting to his touch. "That's right, Ichigo. I'll make you enjoy even if you won't remember," he hissed moving down his thigh and back up again.

He placed kisses in various places before he began to massage Ichigo's hardening groin. He almost chuckled when Ichigo let out a whimper, still pinned down with sleep. His confidence grew and he made swift work in yanking them off and tossing them across the room, unaware of them landing on a stuffed lion that had been sleeping face down.

Ichigo was naked for all of him to see, and Grimmjow flicked his tongue across his perfectly trimmed crotch. The hair was dark red, which signaled that he really was a natural red-head. He grinned and swiped his tongue across the erecting cock and then took it into his mouth and groaning at the sensation of the hot member growing in his mouth.

Nothing bad could be said about Ichigo's taste or his cock, it was proportioned well. He ravaged the sleeping teen and in return the boy was squirming and his head thrashed lazily. "Nnn…"

Deftly, Grimmjow spread Ichigo's legs apart until they hung over the sides of the bed and he coated his fingers with saliva before teasing the boy by sliding his fingers down toward his entrance.

Ichigo's breathing rose sharply and he gasped under his sleep. Grimmjow looked up, watching him closely as he slowly inserted his first finger into the tight blistering hot entrance. He was clean and perfect, Grimmjow thought, so tight. Could it be, that he was a virgin?

Grimmjow's eyes narrowed, well then, Ichigo's virginity would belong to him. He began to suck the boy's cock again while taunting and stretching his ass until he heard quiet sleepy type moans.

He gathered more saliva with his fingers and slipped a second in while at the same time, rising up and shifting until he was sequestered between Ichigo's slim legs. He was in awe of the sight before him, it was perfect, so beautiful.

Grimmjow had never felt so hungry before, he was rock hard and it was painful in his pants, but whether he was taking advantage of Ichigo or not, he would not hurt him by taking him unprepared. Not to mention, if the Vizard actually did wake, Grimmjow wasn't likely to stop and he wanted it to be a pleasurable enough experience where Ichigo wouldn't throw him off.

Ichigo squirmed and attempted to turn on his side but Grimmjow's hand flew out and gripped his waist. "I don't think so," he growled. "Turn back over, Ichigo, relax, and enjoy it," he demanded knowing very well that he wouldn't be heard.

Once his third finger was in, he leaned over while fingering Ichigo and brushed a kiss across his soft lips and dragged his mouth over the cheek and to his ear. "Do you like that?" Grimmjow hissed quietly into his ear. "I'm going to take you Ichigo."

"Nn, eh?"

"It's a dream, let's dream together," Grimmjow purred. "Just lay there and keep dreaming." He nipped Ichigo on the ear before drawing back and releasing himself out of the restricted pants and he hissed when his cock bounced against Ichigo's leg.

He coated his cock with as much saliva as he could before slipping his hand under Ichigo's right calf, he used his other to direct his cock and he hissed, when he slowly breeched the pulsing stretched entrance.

Heavenly obsession, so delicious, and so very perfect. He groaned softly and pushed deeper causing the teen on the bed to moan in distress.

"It'll stop hurting in a minute, Ichigo," Grimmjow managed to say as he rocked back and forth. Ichigo's body was trying to deny him entrance but Grimmjow was not going to be detoured, he devoured the strawberry with his eyes and cock, taking him more and more, thrusting forward and clenching his hips while bringing his mouth down to the boy's neck and kissing up to his ear.

"Huh?" Ichigo gasped and he moaned out as his eyes cracked open but then fell close again.

Such a beautiful sight, Grimmjow growled releasing Ichigo's calf and taking him by the neck and bringing him up while pushing his hips in. Ichigo's legs locked around him and Grimmjow gripped him by the hair grinding until they were sweating and Ichigo's beautiful form became responsive. He slipped his hand between them and began to rub the weeping half hard cock and circled his tongue around Ichigo's ear, whenever he felt the need to groan out loud.

Grimmjow's need rose, the heat flared, and as Ichigo's cock began coming all across their chests, his body couldn't take it and he thrust in sharply causing Ichigo to release a strangled cry.

Grimmjow hissed and squeezed Ichigo tight, the boy lay limply in his arms, whimpering and shivering under the film of sweat. He was perfect, so wanton looking that Grimmjow could easily take him again.

When his mind came back to a more coherent state, he was not only stunned at how far he had taken it but he felt a little pathetic, taking a sleeping teen who had no ability to fight. All to appease his starving obsession.

Having Ichigo in that moment filled up the starving need, however it left Grimmjow feeling a bit empty. What he wouldn't have given to see Ichigo's eyes open, staring at him with a fire, and his lips calling out Grimmjow's name. To be responsive, rather than heavily medicated.

With a gentleness that was beyond him, Grimmjow laid Ichigo back onto the bed. The boy whimpered and turned on his side and Grimmjow licked his lips when he saw his come soaking the bed. He longed to run his tongue between his tan ass cheeks, but he resisted. He had to pull himself together, lest he find himself fucking the teen into the bed again.

Grimmjow ran a hand over his face, brushing along part of his Hollow mask that was glued to the side of his cheek and he shook his head, before setting to work in cleaning and putting Ichigo back together again.

When Grimmjow finally tugged the covers over the boy, he brushed his hand across the teen's forehead. "Good night Ichigo," he whispered before standing straight, adjusting his vest and then turning and disappearing out the window.

It was around that time when a well known modified soul in the form of a plushie sat up, eyes wide in horror at what had just occurred.

(o)

Sleep aids really did make a person have some far out dreams, Kurosaki Ichigo thought as he awoke to the light of the day. He managed to peel his half asleep eyes open to the ceiling. What on earth did they put in that shit? He thought horrified and a little red in the cheeks at what he had dreamed. His stomach was rumbling fiercely, causing a bit of a nauseating spell to overtake him.

It wasn't that the dream had been bad or anything but the fact was, he wasn't prone to having sex dreams, especially a sex dream with a well known, blue-haired Sexta Espada Arrancar.

It was Monday and a school morning. He could hear movement from down the hall and when he sat up, Ichigo gasped as a zigzag of pain flew right up his ass and into his spine. He yelped and fell back to the bed, his heart raced, and his eyes were wide.

"What – the – fuck?" Ichigo hissed in horror. When he shifted, he almost went up into tears at the pain. He reached a hand around and he choked when he felt wet down there and swollen. He gripped the side of the bed. "Kon?"

"I- Ichigo?" Kon crawled across the floor on his plushie hands, his eyes too were wide. "I- I'm sorry Ichigo."

"It was real?" Ichigo got out in a strangle.

Kon bowed his head. "Uh huh."

Ichigo laid back down onto the bed, feeling horrified, shocked, and a little vulnerable. What the hell had he been thinking? He growled in his mind. Grimmjow was in his room last night.

Not only that, but Grimmjow also... no that couldn't be right. Grimmjow was a lot of things, Ichigo thought. He was a callous, sarcastic blood thirsty bastard, but he was not a rapist!

Ichigo's hand went to his stomach as he attempted to sit up again. "Ulgh, I feel sick," he muttered.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo. I should have said something, I should have tried to wake you…"

"I couldn't wake," Ichigo whispered. "I was so heavily drugged that not even he could wake me. Fucking hell!"

It took a bit for Ichigo to get his strength, he braced himself for the pain as he rolled over wincing and hissing at every turn. His feet buckled when he tried to stand and he reached out to grab the night stand.

Kon crawled up onto the bed and watched him morosely. Ichigo staggered to the drawer and managed to grab a shirt and some sweatpants and threw them on, before taking a deep breath and moving to the door.

When he opened, he saw his little sister in the hallway, Yuzu.

"Onii-chan! Why aren't you dressed? You're going to be late!"

Ichigo stared at her, sheet white, he staggered, limping across the hall.

"Onii-chan? What's wrong? What happened to you?" she asked moving to his side.

Ichigo shook his head and moved passed her and gripped the edge of the wall nearest the bathroom.

"Onii-chan?!"

He was in a total daze, trying to get his bearings on everything that had happened. He was trying to think clearly but the thoughts were murky and he had been so drugged. But what he did know was that Grimmjow had been all over him.

He gasped and unconsciously, slid down against the wall. He doubled over in pain, bringing his knees to his chest. "Shit!"

"Dad! Dad!" Yuzu shrieked but Ichigo paid no attention to her. He couldn't, not when he knew, not when he recalled.

"Yuzu, what's-?" Isshin's eyes widened when he saw his son clinging to the wall with his legs to his chest in horror. "Ichigo!" he rushed to his son's side. "What happened Ichigo?"

Once again the teen shook his head, eyes wide. "I'm going to be sick."

Yuzu had come back in with a trash can and Ichigo threw his head in it, throwing up all he could.

When Karin came up to see what was going on, she blinked when she saw her Ichi-nii on the floor throwing up. "Ichi-nii?"

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Isshin coaxed. "Tell me son, please." Ichigo gripped the trash can, unable to speak as he continued to throw up.

Ichigo couldn't tell them, he had to come up with something fast before Isshin got Kon into the mix. He raised his head and wiped his mouth. "Uh, I think I'm allergic to cough syrup," he lied smoothly. "I woke up feeling sick."

"How much did you take?" Isshin demanded.

"A bit," Ichigo confessed. "I was so tired."

"How much was a bit?"

"Half a bottle?"

Isshin growled and sat back. "You idiot son!" he whacked the boy in the head causing the teen to wince. "Do you know what could have happened to you? Do you have any idea how dangerous cough syrup is? You don't take any more than two tablespoons at a time."

"I know, I'm sorry," he said when Karin grabbed a wash cloth from the bathroom. "Thanks," he wiped his mouth and breathed deep. "I won't do it again. I'm sorry, I'm up and getting ready."

"I should check you for an overdose!" Isshin insisted.

"No, no!" Ichigo insisted batting his hands away. "I'm fine, really. Just a little delirious. I'll be good in a bit. Don't worry, I'm not skipping school."

He managed to slip into the shower and he sighed when the hot water ran over his body. He stretched his legs out in front of him and began to wash his body. His mind coming back into coherency after everything that had happened.

Okay, Grimmjow came into his room last night and literally had sex with him. What he could recall from last night was gentle touches, a mouth going all over him, and soft whispers in his ear. He remembered feeling pain and then sublime pleasure.

He shivered under the hot water and he buried his face into his hands. Grimmjow didn't really rape him, Ichigo decided and while it wasn't consensual it wasn't like Grimmjow made him bleed, so what the hell was going on?

Why did he do that?

Ichigo washed his body thoroughly and while his stomach had been unsettled, he wasn't sickened at the idea of sleeping with another man and it wasn't like Grimmjow was hard to look at, but the fact was, that it happened. That's what freaked him out. It was bizarre and to be honest a little scary.

It took a while to get his mind under control and when he did, he stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel securely around his waist. He would have to remind Kon to keep his mouth shut about this incident. He didn't want it to get out.

"You feeling better Onii-chan?" Yuzu asked in concern. She had been waiting outside and Karin was with her, her eyes narrowed on him.

"I'm fine, sorry guys," he insisted.

"Are you well enough to eat?"

"I think so."

Karin glared. "You better not do that again, Ichi-nii!"

"I won't, I swear," Ichigo promised before disappearing into his room. "Kon?"

"Eh?" Kon looked up from his lying position on the bed.

"Don't you dare tell anyone about what happened!" Ichigo said sharply. "If dad asks, I took too much cough syrup."

Kon sighed and nodded. "I wouldn't tell Ichigo."

"Good."

Once his body was completely settled and under his control, he slapped on his uniform and grabbed his bag. He tried not to think about what had occurred last night but that was like not noticing a Menos Grande in front of you. Ichigo's backside burned and his spine left him wincing fractionally.

Ichigo took some toast, ignoring the concerned looks from his family. He nodded to them before getting out of the house as fast as possible.

It was warm, unbelievably so and the sun shining made Ichigo feel a little better. He kept the limping down to a minimum as he began the six block walk to the school. He was unusually tired halfway through, Ichigo was in perfect shape, but the exhaustion crept through him from the events of last night.

He knew he was late for class, he retrieved a late slip from the office, and he refused to look at anyone as he entered the room.

"Kurosaki-kun, you're late!"

"Sorry, sensei," Ichigo said placing the slip on the desk and going for his seat in the back.

He could feel his friend's eyes on him, but he refused to meet them. Not yet, and not now. When he sat, he hissed low and grasped a hold of the desk. He willed the tears that formed in his eyes from the sting of pain down and he hunched forward, feeling nauseated once more.

"Ichigo?" Tatsuki hissed out from behind.

He sighed and glanced over his shoulder. "Yeh?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," he dismissed turning away only to catch the narrowed gaze of Ishida.

He spaced out through the rest of class and when the bell rang for lunch, Ichigo couldn't even think about having lunch. His friends were suddenly there, gathering around him.

Keigo was acting like his idiot self but Ichigo was feeling too awful to deal with him.

"Kurosaki-kun, are you okay? Why were you late?" Inoue asked in concern.

"No reason," he said dragging his aching body up.

Chad gave a hm. "You seem under the weather, Ichigo."

"Aye, a little," he confessed.

They all headed outside toward their usual spot. Ichigo saw the pavement and grimaced before deciding to stay standing as everyone else plopped down cheerfully.

He brushed off their questions and instead, took to staring off in the distance. Ichigo couldn't really believe that he slept through getting fucked. He did remember it feeling good, but he had been so unprepared for such an encounter that it was no wonder he was unsettled.

Damn that Grimmjow! Why didn't the bastard just face him like a man? What was he trying to get at? What did he want?

"Kurosaki-san," Ishida was suddenly standing next to him and he could feel the calculating gaze.

"Yeh?" Ichigo asked.

"Tell me what's going on, your reiatsu has spiked and it's tainted."

"There's nothing to say," he scowled crossing his arms and turning away.

"Kurosaki-san, you tell me what's going on now, or I will involve Urahara-san," Ishida said sharply. "Something happened last night, obviously, and since I didn't detect any Hollows in the area…"

Ichigo could imagine what would happen if Urahara-san got involved, that meant his dad would become involved and it would be a mess.

He growled at Ishida. "Let's go somewhere private then," he snapped coldly. He walked away, making everyone look up.

"Where's Kurosaki-kun going?" Inoue was the first to question.

"I need to talk to him," Ishida said before taking his bag and following the Vizard until they were well out of hearing range.

Ichigo shoved his hands into his pockets. "I was so tired last night, I took some cough syrup that had a sleep aid in it," he began glancing around swiftly to make sure no one was watching. "I wake up the next morning and I thought I had been dreaming, but then I sat up…"

"Kurosaki-san...?"

"Grimmjow last night came into my room," Ichigo murmured.

"How could you fight under a sleep aid?"

"We didn't fight," he whispered. "I was out of it, Ishida." He turned and faced the Quincy. "He had sex with me."

Ishida had been prepared for many things but that was not one of them. "He raped you."

Ichigo sagged his shoulders forward. "Rape, sex, whatever. Kon saw it all. I only remember vague things about last night. I was so under the medicine that I didn't wake at all."

Ishida was wide eyed and shocked. "Ichigo…" he changed his usage of the Ichigo's name. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried but I was concerned."

"Yah, well, keep your mouth shut," Ichigo demanded. "I don't need this getting out."

"What are you going to do about it?" Ishida asked calmly.

Ichigo shrugged. "What the hell am I supposed to do?" he asked horrified. "The only thing I want to do, is question why the fuck he would do that! I mean, I pictured Grimmjow a lot of things, a blood thirsty bastard, I also had a strange grudging respect for him after our fight in Hueco Mundo so I have no unearthly idea why he would do that."

"Did he hurt you?" Ishida asked. "Are you bleeding or anything?"

Ichigo scowled and kicked a rock with his foot. "That's just it, Ishida. He didn't _hurt_ me. Not the way a rapist or a sadist would have. So, I don't understand a damn thing, what he was trying to get at by doing that to me when there was no way I could have woken."

"Hm," Ishida began to pace. "Ichigo, how often did Grimmjow seek out you before Hueco Mundo?"

"Two or three times, I don't know, why?"

"He sought no one else out but you, right?"

"I don't think so. He defied Aizen's orders just to get a fight with me."

"Could it be, Grimmjow is obsessed with you?" Ishida suggested.

Ichigo stared at his friend, and for a moment he wasn't sure if Ishida's words registered. "Obsessed? Why? He hated my guts, he was always trying to pick a fight with me."

"You match him rather equally. I'm sure you caught his attention the first time but he kept coming back, wanting to fight you."

Ichigo recalled his fight in Hueco Mundo with Grimmjow. "Before I fought him last time, he made Inoue heal me back to full health. I did think that was strange, but I figured he wanted a fair fight and that was why I respected him. He may have moral issues being an Arrancar but he didn't mess with anyone weaker than him. He didn't pray on them like that string bean Nnoitra."

"What if you see him again? What are you going to say to him?"

Ichigo shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about that."

"If he did this once, he would probably try it a second time."

"I most certainly won't be taking anything to put me asleep again."

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

Strangely enough, Ichigo felt a little better after having talked to Ishida about it. "Thanks, Ishida."

"No problem, I'm glad you told me about this."


	2. Volume 02

**oOo Volume 02 oOo**

White walls were becoming disgusting to his eyes. Not only that but he would consider himself a pathetic mass of Arrancar as he lay spread eagle on his bed staring at the colorless ceiling with growing contempt.

The hunger inside of him twirled and rolled through his body. Images of warm tan skin under his touch caused an ache to grow amongst all the jumble of instincts he possessed. It had been a week since he had ventured into the Human World and that week had been nothing but agony.

How the fuck could he let it get like this? At times Grimmjow wished Ichigo had died but then as his mind ghosted across the idea the Sexta was forced to erase it from his mind because he felt sick at the idea. No one was worthy enough to kill Ichigo.

Obsession could be a terrifying truth and when he neglected his obsession it only grew worse. The hunger raging war and havoc on his mind and body until the point of starvation and a fixated need. He'd slept with Ichigo once and he had hoped that it would get rid of his obsession.

But no, it only got worse. It didn't help that Ichigo had been asleep and had no knowledge or memory of what had occurred. It also didn't help that he could have those brown eyes peering up at him with lust and need and those lips moaning his name out as he moved deeper inside and brought the sweet strawberry to a screaming orgasm.

His own cock throbbed in his pants and he cursed angrily at the images. He hadn't left his room since he returned from the Human World and no one was looking for him. Aizen was in a bad way, his injuries that he sustained were monumental and Grimmjow couldn't help but enjoy seeing that fucking shinigami knocked down a few pegs.

Some fucking God he was, Grimmjow thought darkly. When Grimmjow's hunger became lethally dangerous, he decided to venture out into the world of the living. If he couldn't touch, he at least wanted to watch.

(o)

By the end of the school week, Ichigo didn't feel so bizarre about the fact that he was no longer a virgin and he could barely remember it. He had all week to let everything sink in, Grimmjow hadn't shown up again, and Ichigo couldn't decide whether he was disappointed or annoyed.

One part of him really wanted Grimmjow to return. For one, he wanted to know why it happened, from the Arrancar's own lips. Another, and this was a really excitable rare part of him that he wouldn't admit to anyone in this world. But, he was kind of hoping if Grimmjow did come back around, he could feel it.

It was a sick sort of thrill.

Perhaps he should be locked up in an asylum for such thoughts?

It was Saturday night and Ichigo was in his room at half past nine, he was in shorts and a t-shirt and had the music blaring full blast. His family weren't home, they'd gone out for pizza and Ichigo opted to stay home. He had a packet of chips and was studying the chemistry notes in front of him for the exam that would take place on Monday morning.

Kon was laying in front of him on his belly with a Manga book in front of him. His plushy legs dangling slightly in the air.

"Nnn, horror Manga has the hottest valley of Gods!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes but said nothing as he tapped the head of Kon with his pencil. "Least someone makes use of those."

"Why do you have them anyway?"

"A friend sends them to me every week after she's done with them."

"Ooh!" Kon's eyes lit up. "I bet she's a pretty one."

"She's alright," Ichigo commented making notes as he referred to the text book in front of him. The teen almost found it amusing how nice Kon had been to him all week. He must have been scandalized by Grimmjow just as much, being a voyeur and all.

Ichigo placed the pencil to the tip of his mouth as he debated over inconsistencies of his notes and the text book. He was about to check the index when there was a scrape from the roof of his house and a sliver of reiatsu that was not a shinigami's pooled across him.

"Kon," Ichigo whispered dropping the pencil and grabbing his badge.

"What?" Kon asked looking up.

"Do you feel that?"

Kon sat up and looked around and then he gasped. "I do, Ichigo."

Ichigo stiffened and a funny sensation slid through him and he couldn't exactly say it was good or bad. He was a little nervous, was it Grimmjow? It wasn't a shinigami, he knew that.

There was a soft 'plop' and the reiatsu remained.

"He's watching me…" Ichigo whispered. "Don't look out the window. Pretend you don't see," he said under his breath.

Kon groaned and glued his eyes to the Manga book. "What are you going to do Ichigo? Kick his ass?"

He should, he really really should, but he wanted to know why first without putting Grimmjow on the defense.

Ichigo tried to concentrate on his chemistry, but it was nigh impossible. He scowled and threw the pencil down and fell back on his bed with a huff.

Kon closed the book and bounced over to Ichigo and settled himself on the teen's stomach. Ichigo didn't move to knock him off, the comfort was welcomed for a change. "What do I do?" he asked quietly without moving his lips. "I can feel him, I know it's him." His badge hadn't gone bezerk and no one else had that kind of reiatsu.

"Kill him," Kon stated simply.

Ichigo snorted. "I wish it was that simple."

"Hm." Kon crossed his arms over his little chest and went into his unusual thinking pose. "What to do, what to do. I suck at these situations, why not ask that hat-clog idiot?"

Ichigo turned a little red at the idea but didn't comment. Perhaps, he should just face Grimmjow man to man. "Kon," he said finally. "Go to Yuzu's room and don't come out."

Kon's eyes widened. "Why? What are you going to do?"

"Going to find out what the hell's going on," he whispered. "Go, I don't want you caught in the middle."

"Alright, Ichigo. But if I hear you screaming, I'm going to tell your dad!"

Ichigo scowled and batted the stuffed toy off him. "Go on baka, I can take care of myself."

"No you can't," Kon retorted factually as he pried the heavy door open. "That's why you need me, you need Nee-san, and that dork with the arrows. You need us all otherwise you're doomed for failure."

Ichigo didn't rebuke that, strangely enough, Kon sounded wise.

Once the door closed back, Ichigo breathed in deeply as he sat up and pressed his back to the bed and with his foot he slid his chemistry stuff toward him. He picked up the pencil again and waited about five minutes before getting agitated enough with it. There was no way he could concentrate knowing that Grimmjow was on the other side of his window.

Could Ishida be right? Why would Grimmjow of all people be obsessed with him? Ichigo didn't understand it, not really. He'd always thought Grimmjow had it out to kill him.

Finally, he decided to say something.

"Stop looking through my window like a stalker and get in here Sexta," Ichigo growled turning his attention to the window pointedly.

He waited with a racing heart as the glass window slid open, revealing bright blue eyes and matching hair. The man that was an Arrancar slipped into the window and sat on the sill. He was stunned when he didn't see an arrogant expression on the Sexta's face. What he saw, was those eyes raking him over and drinking him in.

It was almost scary.

Almost.

"Yo! Shinigami," Grimmjow raised a lazy hand. "What the hell were you talking to a minute ago? I didn't know you had a thing for talking with stuffed toys."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and threw a pillow at the Arrancar's head. "Bastard, that was no toy," he said dropping his book between his legs. "It was Kon, a Modified Soul that I put into a plushy because I didn't have a dead body around."

Grimmjow blinked at the answer. "I can get you one, free of charge."

"No thanks, leave the poor victims in their beds." Ichigo's stomach was now burning. He was really nervous but he didn't let on. He pretended to be oblivious. "Watchya here for anyway? I don't feel like fighting tonight."

"Tch, I didn't say I was here to fight, brat." Grimmjow looked tense and if Ichigo read his body language right, he seemed 'worried.'

Was that even possible for the predator?

"Alright then, so long as we have that clear and don't call me brat, kitty!"

Grimmjow glowered. "Who you calling a kitty, little human?"

"You obviously," Ichigo said attempting once more to pick up his book. "You're the only one here who has the claws."

"You trying to look down upon me?" Grimmjow challenged causing Ichigo to frown and look up. "Because I won't allow it, kid! You may think you have beaten me but you did nothing of the sort! I can take you on any day!" He jerked off the sill and he advanced closer. "You think you're so good because you bested me once? Just because you bested Ulquiorra?" He got right up to Ichigo who had yet to move from the bed. "If you really wanna go, child, I'll take you any-"

"Grimmjow," Ichigo snapped sharply and turned to stare up at the Arrancar. "You fuckin' idiot, stop twisting my goddamn words around. I'm not looking down on you! I never actually have, moron. It was a sarcastic witty comment to you calling me a brat. Not everything is about fighting!"

"But you're thinking it!" Grimmjow sneered viciously.

Ichigo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jesus Christ, Grimmjow. I never said I was more powerful than you. I never said I was higher than you. I don't use that kind of talk or arrogance. If you want to know who I look down upon, it was Aizen. I looked down on him, not because he wanted to play God and not because he has notorious power that I would want. I looked down on him," Ichigo slid off the bed by this time and stood face to face with the blue-haired Espada. "Because, even after he obtained his goal by retrieving the Hougyoku, he tried to kill my friend! I look down on him because he loves to toy with people weaker than him, he loves hording it over them, and I HATE IT!"

Grimmjow reared back, shocked to the core. He hadn't expected Ichigo to catch him that night and he knew he shouldn't be picking a fight with Ichigo, but he was hungry again, and he wanted… no he needed the hunger to go away. A week and he kept his distance but it only caused him to starve until it became painful. "Ichigo…"

He shook his head and walked passed Grimmjow and began to pace. "I didn't get this strength because I wanted to be more powerful than everyone else! I didn't do it to show off or prove a point."

"Why did you then?" Grimmjow asked, truthfully curious. Someone as strong as Ichigo had to have a damn good reason for the power he sought.

"I got this strength so people would leave my family and friends alone! I wanted to protect them like I couldn't protect my mother! Do you think I enjoy this thing inside of me?!" Ichigo hissed.

"Thing?" Grimmjow queried.

Ichigo growled and looked away. "This fucking bastard inside of me that is a part of my power. Unlike you, Grimmjow who is one person and one person only, I have an annoying bastard inside of me, challenging me twenty-four-seven waiting for the day I slip up weak to take over my body and destroy everything that I have had to work for. I didn't beat you because you were weaker than me, Grimmjow, I did it because I had no goddamn choice! For me it was do or let my friends die! I wasn't about to let an innocent girl like Inoue be killed by Aizen's disgusting hands. Not when it was my fault she has power in the first place. So don't come in here and twist my words or put new ones in my mouth!"

Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked the other way, the anger simmering down now that he had gotten it off his chest.

Grimmjow observed him, he was so fiery, the flame inside of Ichigo only grew hotter and he longed to roll in it and allowing the flames to burn him, the pain would be sublime.

"A person can be the most powerful man or woman in the world," Ichigo said softly. "Yet, they are not invincible, no one is. Not you, not me, and definitely not Aizen. Sometimes, Grimmjow a person's will is stronger than the ultimate power. You have a strong will to prove yourself and I had a strong will to get them out alive but the difference was, I accepted death if it meant their lives being spared. That's why I won. That's why I killed Ulquiorra and doing so cost me a hell of a lot."

"Why are you so self-less?" Grimmjow demanded.

"I'm not exactly a _shinigami_, Grimmjow. I'm a human, with human feelings. It's my nature and I can't change it."

Grimmjow actually felt apologetic but he wouldn't admit it, no way. His pride wouldn't let him. "You're something weird, Ichigo."

"Likewise, Sexta," Ichigo retorted as he turned with a sigh and crawled back onto the bed. "So, why are you here?"

Grimmjow gave a careless shrug. He knew why, but he couldn't bring himself to say it aloud. "I was bored. I'm sure you noticed, Hueco Mundo is mundane."

"Yeh," Ichigo said situating his study work. "I discovered that for myself. How's Nel?"

"Who?" Grimmjow asked still standing.

"The little girl Arrancar."

"Eh, her. I dunno, she's alright, I guess."

"Sit down, you make me nervous standing over me like that," Ichigo muttered not looking up.

"Is Ichigo scared?" Grimmjow taunted plopping down on the familiar bed. It squeaked with the Arrancar's weight.

"No, but I'm in my Gigai. Not much I can do in this shape," he said flipping through the book. Ichigo had been trying to think of a way to bring the events of last week up to Grimmjow but he didn't know how. His stomach continued to swim until it became unsettled.

Being this close and unable to touch was driving Grimmjow insane, he'd had one taste and he could have sworn it would have been enough but now, Ichigo was awake, alive, and so delicious looking sitting there half dressed and with a goddamn pencil in his mouth! Fuck, Grimmjow took the time to gaze around the room, trying to reign in his flooding need.

Getting an idea, when he saw Ichigo glaring at his book, he shifted and leaned closer so that he could see what the teen was looking at.

"What the hell is that?"

"Chemistry," Ichigo answered fully aware of the Espada's close contact. "I have a test Monday and I've missed enough school to last me a lifetime since I've been a shinigami." Grimmjow was so close he could smell him, it was a strange musk scent. It certainly wasn't cologne, he was sure Arrancars didn't know anything about that, but it was lingering and he wondered briefly how he obtained the smell.

"Looks complicated." Grimmjow deadpanned.

"Uh huh, especially when the notes don't coincide with the book."

"Isn't that easy? Go with the book."

"I would but the sensei had us do it this way," he explained. "So if I do it this way and it's still wrong, I'm a be fucked and if I do it the sensei's way she could be leading us into a trap and I'm fucked again. Ah forget it, I'll ask Ishida later." He slammed it closed and stacked his notes. His nerves were rattling fiercely.

When Ichigo leaned to the side to put everything on the floor, Grimmjow was left staring at the flesh that was exposed from the slightly snug shirt riding up his torso. Shit! Grimmjow thought in agony.

There was a ton of noise outside causing Ichigo to raise up and sigh. "They're home," he said quietly. "Hopefully goat-face didn't eat all the pizza," he said jumping off the bed. "Uh, you can stay here, if anyone comes in find a closet."

"They can't see me," Grimmjow reminded.

Ichigo snorted. "Yeah, they can. My dad was a former Captain of the Gotei 13. Yuzu can sense your presence but Karin can see all of you."

"What kind of family do you have, Ichigo? You said you're human! But if you're father is a shinigami, what the hell gives?"

"My father lost his shinigami powers and regained them shortly after I gained mine. My mother was human, she couldn't see ghosts or anything and Yuzu takes after her in that regard, but Karin, she is a lot like me. I didn't know my dad was a shinigami though, it was one hell of a surprise to me. I'll be back."

When he disappeared, Grimmjow let out a sigh and sat up, he buried his hands into his hair as he placed his elbows on his knees. Ichigo was driving him nuts, just his presence was intoxicating.

"Onii-chan! I saved you some pizza, a whole large one!"

"Ah, thank you Yuzu!"

"Goat-face tried to take it but I kicked him between the legs for it," another little girl said, this one sounding smug.

"But I was hungry!" A man whined.

"You're always hungry fatso!"

"I'm not fat!"

"Onii-chan needs to eat too, dad! I finished your laundry earlier, need me to put them away for you?"

"No thanks Yuzu. I can do it myself. I'm going back to my room."

"Awww, you're always in your room," the little girl named Yuzu pouted.

"I have to study, got a test Monday and like hell do I understand it."

"Tch, good luck then Ichi-nii."

"Thanks Karin."

Grimmjow hopped off the bed and slipped into the corner when the door opened. Ichigo came through with a large box and a can of something to drink.

"Yo," Ichigo said observing the hiding Grimmjow.

"Your father was a shinigami, yet he whines like a two-year-old."

Ichigo smirked and placed the food on the bed. "Yah, it's because Karin and Yuzu don't know. Karin knows about me, but ever since mom died, dad was always trying to keep the house light. He's annoying as hell, jumping out at me from nowhere just to get a reaction. But he's cool, want some pizza?"

_No, I want you._ Grimmjow wanted to say. "It's not what I want, but sure."

Ichigo tried not to think too much on that statement as he handed the Arrancar a slice and halved his can of cola with him.

"Why are you treating me nice?" Grimmjow asked suspiciously.

Ichigo paused briefly and licked some cheese from his finger causing Grimmjow to flinch discreetly. "Why not?"

"I thought you hated me."

"Hate's a strong word, Grimmjow," he said taking a bite of the pizza. When he swallowed, he observed Grimmjow. "I reserve hate for people who deserve it. I hate plenty of things but you're not one of them. Perhaps it's because you sought me out for the fight and no one else? I don't know why, so don't ask. Just accept it and eat your pizza."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "You really are weird, shinigami." He was also making it worse. If he thought he was obsessed with Ichigo before that was nothing compared to how he was feeling right now. The obsession was fueled even hotter by the fact that Ichigo didn't hate him.

But, Grimmjow knew that if Ichigo found out what he did last week, he would surely hate him.

As Ichigo took his second slice of pizza there was a knock on the door. "Onii-chan! Can I come in?"

Grimmjow froze before Ichigo pointed to the closet, the blue-haired man nodded and was up instantly, he took a slice of pizza with him and crawled into the cramped little closet and shut the door, he kept it cracked just enough so he could see.

"Come in Yuzu," Ichigo called hiding the spare glass under his bed.

The door clicked and in stepped a small ginger haired little girl with doleful brown eyes that matched Ichigo's.

"Onii-chan! I brought your basket of clothes." She placed them down by the TV before hopping over to Ichigo and looking at him imploringly.

Ichigo sighed and turned. "What?" he asked getting close to her doll like face.

"Please?"

What was she on about? Grimmjow wondered.

Ichigo poked her in the nose, making her giggle as she brushed it. "Sure, why not. Give me a half hour to finish eating."

"Yay!" she slung her arms around his neck in a hug. "You're the best Onii-chan! Karin-chan! Karin-chan! I told you Onii-chan would bathe with me, haha!"

"You and your brother complex."

Ichigo closed his door back. "It's clear."

Grimmjow stepped out of the closet, not really sure how to take the fact that Ichigo was going to shower with his little sister. He thought it was kind of, endearing dare he think it? But it was strange, Ichigo was so… different. He had expected a bloodthirsty teenage boy but he didn't expect someone to have so much hidden empathy.

"That was Yuzu," Ichigo answered going for another slice and handing Grimmjow's cup back. "She's got a big brother complex."

"I noticed. You are close to them, are you not?"

"They're my life," Ichigo confessed shamelessly. He rummaged through his drawers for some clothes and all Grimmjow could do was watch him. "They're the reason I became a shinigami in the first place." He turned to face the Arrancar and arched an eyebrow at the strange expression on his face. "I'll be back, you can stay or go."

He didn't know exactly why he was saying that nor did he know why he wasn't angry with Grimmjow. Sure, at first it had been a thrill to figure the man out, to find out why he had done what he did last week, but to be spilling so much information about himself like it were natural.

Ichigo never did that, not even for his friends. Perhaps it was the those strange unreadable expressions that made it different? Or it could have been the fact that if Grimmjow had wanted too, he could have really damaged him that night. He could have taken him viciously, made him bleed, and enjoyed it.

But he hadn't. When Yuzu shouted for his name, he quickly moved and left the room.

Grimmjow groaned and fell to the bed, once again he gripped his hair, and moved into the distressed position. What the fuck was Kurosaki Ichigo? Did he happen to be some sort of goddamn empathic or something? It had to be, he was affecting him. There were at least a thousand or more instincts barreling down around him and it was consuming.

He was engulfed by the scent of the room, it was all Ichigo, even if it was hidden behind the scent of pizza which still lay on the bed. He grabbed one of the teen's pillows and brought it to his nose, he closed his eyes and let himself drown.

He was pathetic and he knew it.


	3. Volume 03

**oOo Volume 03 oOo**

For some reason, Ichigo wasn't all that surprised that Grimmjow was stretched out on his bed when he returned. The teen locked the door to his room so his father didn't come barreling in with some new surprise attack and he turned to see Grimmjow simply staring at him.

Ichigo hadn't been able to think much with Yuzu in the bath with him. He didn't want anything lewd to happen by accident and so he had clipped it from his mind and concentrated on rubbing the shampoo into his little sisters hair as she giggled furiously with delight.

Now that he was in the room, observing Grimmjow from afar, he couldn't help but let his mind wander at the notion of a relationship with the Espada. He wasn't sure how it would work, but he knew that with their dispositions being similar in many ways that nothing could be boring.

The reason, Ichigo had never bothered with a relationship before was because, he felt that one might be to restraining. For instance, he knew very well of Inoue's affections for him, he was not as dense as he let on. But he couldn't see himself with her. He wasn't gay exactly, but he didn't think a relationship with her would have something he wanted.

He didn't really think of himself as gay or straight. He was somewhere in between, having been asexual for so long. He made it a point to remain asexual and now, here was this blue-haired Arrancar that wasn't exactly a troll to look at. It was confusing and a little bothersome when he thought about it. How easy it was for him to let his hormones dictate him, teenager or not.

Grimmjow wanted to growl when he saw Ichigo looking deviously delicious. He was in black silk bottoms that hung on his hip bone and it was so fucking evil. The teen had a sleeveless black shirt that barely covered his flat stomach and rode up often every time Ichigo bent over flashing that delicious ass. That strawberry was definitely put on the earth to torture him for his sins.

Nothing was said between the two as Ichigo placed the box of pizza aside to take out tomorrow and adjusted his covers and pillows. He slid under them, aware of Grimmjow's on top of them a few inches away.

"What's going on shinigami?"

"Pretending to go bed," Ichigo answered. "If I don't, my dad will hound me." He tugged the covers from under Grimmjow. "Budge up and get under, I'm cold."

Grimmjow blinked at him repeatedly, was he hearing Ichigo right?

"What? Get under!" Ichigo tugged at the cover under the Arrancar's ass "And take your shoes off, I don't want mud on my sheets."

Grimmjow glared briefly before kicking the sandals off and sliding under, the body heat was sensational and it was terrorizing him thoroughly.

Ichigo flipped the light off and they were bathed in darkness as the teen slid under the covers.

"You do this with all your guests?" Grimmjow asked trying not to sneer, but he was sure it came out contemptuous.

"What's that supposed to mean, bastard?"

"I'm your enemy, Ichigo, yet you tell me to get under the covers with you."

"I don't consider you much of an enemy, Grimmjow."

That made Grimmjow a little angry, he hissed darkly and glared in the dark at the outline. "I'm not good enough to be an enemy of yours, huh? Is that what you're thinking?"

"Oh Jesus, here we go again," Ichigo groaned. "You should have taken that as a fucking compliment, you hot-headed jack ass!" What the hell was with him?

"I don't need your compliments, shinigami!" Grimmjow spat.

"Obviously," the teen retorted. "You have some severe anger issues, Grimmjow."

"And you don't?" Grimmjow snapped, knowing that he should calm down. But too many memories of the desert when he was an Adjucas came back at certain times and it turned him near insane to remember them.

"I have anger issues as well, but I don't take them out on the nearest person unless it's deserved and I didn't deserve your asshole nature just now!"

"Guess you didn't," Grimmjow acquiesced, truly feeling guilty now. Here he was lying in Ichigo's bed and he should be delighted that the teen seemed to be giving him a chance, a friendly one anyway without scorn or distaste and he was completely ruining it with his nasty memories. "I apologize."

"Yeh, it's alright."

"I have a lot of anger built up still from my time as an Adjucas," Grimmjow said staring down at his hands.

"I can see that. But just so we're clear in the long run, Grimmjow. I have respect for you. At the time you were an enemy but I had respect. I respected your power and your mind. You are not a fucking sycophant like Ulquiorra was. You make the best of a bad situation. Aizen is powerful as fuck and stealing the Hougyoku only enhanced that. He's simply your means to an end, I know that Grimmjow."

Grimmjow's eyes widened and he looked quickly at Ichigo. "How do you figure?"

Ichigo smirked in the dark. "You're like me, Grimmjow. If I were in your position, I'd have done the same thing. You enjoy a good fight, one that is worthwhile, so do I. I crave a good fight too, but I have had people around me to settle those urges down. You have not, that is the difference between you and I and it's not a bad thing before you go on another rampage of anger. You are independent, you rely on yourself. I wish I could do that."

"Why can't you?" Grimmjow asked.

"For me, to really hurt someone, I need a reason. To really destroy them and become powerful. I'm weak when I have no reason, no resolve, and no point." He turned over onto his side and brought his hand out in front of him. "When Rukia was captured by Soul Society because she gave me her powers. I was killed," he confessed.

Grimmjow frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Ichigo explained the story how he retrieved his shinigami powers in the first place and the consequences of it. "Byakuya stripped me of that power. I laid there, literally dying but Urahara-san saved my ass. He used a perverted means to release my power and it was ten times more powerful than Rukia's had been. In return, he made me a Vizard by accident. I worked my ass off to defeat not one but two of the fucking Captains of the Gotei 13. The same bastard that killed Nnoitra, I had to get passed along with Rukia's brother who was by far the hardest considering he has three levels to his Bankai, which I was forced to learn in three days to survive my battle with him. I needed a reason to beat his ass."

"Why did you suck so bad when we first met?" Grimmjow asked after hearing the story.

Ichigo laughed hollowly. "It's not that I sucked Grimmjow, I was scared shitless of the Hollow inside of me. It tried to take me over when I was fighting Byakuya and every time I released the more powerful amounts of reiatsu it would try and take me under. I didn't get it in control until I met you the second time and that was only for eleven seconds. Technically, I'm still training but it was abandoned when Inoue was kidnapped by that Emo-freak Ulquiorra."

"Emo?" Grimmjow deadpanned.

"Emotionally disturbed little prick."

Grimmjow barked in laughter and Ichigo winced as his hand flew to the Espada's mouth. He brushed against the broken mask along his jaw. "Sssh, my dad is in the other room," he mused with a slight smile.

Grimmjow had literally froze as the warm flesh seeped through his cool lips and before he could stop himself, he opened his mouth and pressed a kiss to the teen's hand. His blood rushed and he forgot what he was doing.

Ichigo shivered, surprised by the reaction and he wondered vaguely if Grimmjow knew what he was doing. Gently, Ichigo curved his hand and ran his fingers along the smooth side of his jaw line. His skin wasn't warm but cool. What happened next was expected yet unexpected at the same time, Ichigo couldn't really explain why it was a contradictory.

But Grimmjow shifted, sliding down the sheets and he leaned in without a single thought and began to kiss Ichigo fervently.

Ichigo briefly thought the mask piece along his jaw would be a problem, but it wasn't. He could only feel a slight rough brush along his cheek as Grimmjow's tongue slipped passed his weakened defense. Ichigo attacked back however, not allowing Grimmjow to have total and began to bite and nibble at the his bottom lip and tongue every time he was assaulted.

Ichigo hitched a breath as the heat coiled in thick threads through his body when Grimmjow's hand began to glide down his right side and brushed his cool fingers along his exposed skin. The thrill he had sought earlier was hitting him head and his nerves was riled up, he could imagine how far this could be taken, especially when Grimmjow slipped his knee between Ichigo's thigh and his hand slid up his shirt. He wondered briefly, if his heart was going to explode.

Perhaps, this wasn't the best of ideas, Ichigo thought apprehensively, but the thought was washed away when Grimmjow's kiss turned deeper and filled with so much sexual intent that he felt it through his entire frame.

Ichigo's mouth was hot to touch, it scolded his cool skin and every time Grimmjow was bit, his starving obsessive hunger grew wilder.

It took every ounce of will Ichigo possessed, to bring his hands to Grimmjow's face and pull back, his whole body was aflame and it was dangerous. He breathed deep, panting softly as Grimmjow stared down into his eyes.

The lights from the street outside streamed through the window giving them enough light to see each other. "G- Grimmjow… why?"

"I want you," Grimmjow stated without hesitance.

That was one way to put it. Ichigo brought the back of his hand to his mouth briefly. "How do you want me?" he asked trying not to sound hesitant.

"All of you," he growled, his eyes flashing like a cat.

Ichigo figured that now was a good idea to confess what he knew. "If we do this, you're going to do it right this time, Grimmjow."

Grimmjow's eyes widened and he leaned back on his knees. "What?"

Ichigo struggled to sit up and rubbed his face. "I know about last week," he said quietly. Grimmjow's first instincts were to run but Ichigo caught on and grabbed the man's hands pulling his reflexive action back. "I'm not angry, Grimmjow," he assured. "If I was angry, you'd have already known it. I'm just confused."

Grimmjow looked down at Ichigo's strong grip and forced himself to glance up into the teen's eyes.

"Don't run from me," Ichigo scowled. "If I didn't want you here, I'd have said something."

"Why didn't you say something earlier?" Grimmjow growled.

Ichigo quirked an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked incredulously. "Look at you, Grimmjow, every time I say something that sets you on edge, you flip out! You're like a stick of fucking dynamite."

Grimmjow winced appropriately, Ichigo was far from wrong. He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said feeling a little guilty.

"Eh, it don't matter anymore," Ichigo insisted releasing Grimmjow's hands.

"Why not?" Grimmjow asked looking away from Ichigo. "I violated you in your sleep, I knew the fucking consequences but I didn't care at the time. I just… I wanted you," He confessed darkly.

Ichigo could feel the heat in his cheeks at the Arrancar's words and he wondered briefly how hard it had been to literally say that. "I was upset the next day. That plushy you saw talking to me earlier saw everything and yeah, I wasn't too happy at first. But, it's not like you're fucking awful to look at," he admitted grudgingly. "I was confused and curious, not to mention I was sick as hell!"

Grimmjow flinched. "Sick?"

"Well, yeah!" Ichigo grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest a little grumpily. "I was sick as a dog, but, I had thought I was dreaming and since you weren't out to hurt me, I wasn't as upset after I let it all sink in. I've never had sex."

Grimmjow knew that, but he hadn't at the time. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"It's fine. It just hit me too quickly, the mix of the cough syrup and all unsettled me. But, honestly, Grimmjow, if I didn't want you here, I'd have made it loud and clear. No one's ever been in my bed before. In fact, I've never let anyone kiss me."

Now that was surprising. "Why me then?"

"I can't really answer that at the moment," Ichigo said shrugging.

Grimmjow glared, he didn't know whether to feel insulted or not. It was a good thing that Ichigo didn't seem irate but he didn't want to be some fucking experiment. The simple thought of that, made Grimmjow's anger rise. "I'm not your source of entertainment, shinigami!" he sneered.

Ichigo blinked at that. "Huh?"

"You heard me," Grimmjow growled darkly. "I will not be used to abate your pathetic curiosity like some fucking science experiment!"

"I never said that!" Ichigo snapped. "What kind of shit are you talking about Grimmjow?"

"You know what I'm talking about, shinigami. I am not your entertainment nor am I your experiment just because you're fucking curious!"

"You're still not making any sense at all!" Ichigo shot back coldly. "Why the hell do you have to take my words and twist them the wrong way?"

"How the hell am I supposed to take it? You say you don't know why you let me kiss you, why you're letting me touch you. You must get a real kick out of it, seeing Grimmjow Jaegarjaquez seeking out a goddamn shinigami, getting your amusement out of me!" He grabbed Ichigo by the front of his shirt and brought him close. "You enjoy making a joke of me?"

Ichigo growled darkly and shoved Grimmjow off him. "Get off me you bastard! I never once said that shit!"

"You don't have too," Grimmjow sneered.

"Hey! You're the one who practically raped me and when I tell you I don't really mind, you turn into a asshole!"

"You led me on!"

"I did no such thing!"

"You did! You didn't tell me."

"Because you're a fucking time bomb!" Ichigo shot. "I was waiting for you to get comfortable with me before I said anything! I'm sixteen, you fucking idiot. I may be a shinigami but I'm also human! I've never had a relationship!"

"And you're using me as an experiment, yeah, I hear your words!"

"Those aren't my goddamn words!" Ichigo threw his hands up in distress. "Fucking hell, Grimmjow, what the hell is your problem with me?"

Once again, his shirt was grabbed and he was pulled right into Grimmjow's face. "Perhaps, I should have just taken you and fucked the shit out of you until I couldn't stand to look at you anymore. Perhaps then, I could be done with you. Do you think, I enjoy this? Enjoy my fucking obsession with the likes of you? A fucking shinigami crossbred into human! It sickens me!"

In a flash, Ichigo brought his knee up and collided it with Grimmjow's crotch making him double over in shocked pain. "Get the fuck out of here, now, Sexta, before I turn into a shinigami and whoop your ass!"

Grimmjow's eyes flashed. "Bring it on, brat!" he snarled viciously. "I'll kill you."

"I'd like to see you try," Ichigo challenged.

There was movement down the hall, Ichigo snapped his attention to his locked door when there was a swift knock. "Ichi-nii!"

It was Karin.

"Get the fuck out of here, Grimmjow, now!" Ichigo hissed moving off the bed. "Hold on Karin!" he called out moving to the door and glaring at the retreating Arrancar.

"Ichi-nii, are you okay? I heard yelling, who's in there with you?"

Grimmjow turned at the window, fury and other mixed emotions collided headlong when he took a hard long look at Ichigo.

"It's nobody, Karin," Ichigo said tightly. "Nobody at all." He gave Grimmjow a pointed look.

Without a single word, Grimmjow disappeared into the night and Ichigo sighed heavily as he unlocked the door and opened it.

"Ichi…?" Karin padded into the room and glanced at the window to see the curtains swaying and when she looked up at Ichigo, she saw a panged expression. "Ichi-nii, you said it was no one, but really, who was it? I felt a strange presence and Kon asked me to look."

Ichigo turned from the window and gazed down at his little sister. "Someone," he whispered ignoring the hurt deep inside. He didn't want to acknowledge it, didn't want to let on like Grimmjow's words had really hurt him.

He had thought that despite everything, Grimmjow was a decent guy, but it obviously turned out he wasn't. He was just an idiot with a temper problem and like hell would Ichigo be a punching bag. He wasn't some pathetic naïve bitch.

Karin wrapped her arms around Ichigo's waist and he smiled slightly. "It's alright, Karin."

"Can I sleep with you tonight, Ichi-nii?"

Ichigo wanted to say no, but looking down at his little sister, he simply couldn't choke up the words. "Sure. Go get your pillow."

Karin smiled and rushed out of the room as Ichigo sighed and straightened his bed. He glanced once at the window, but he didn't feel the usual reiatsu. He was gone and apart of Ichigo was glad he was gone, but the other part was bothered.

He couldn't believe he had been thinking of a relationship with an Arrancar, a Hollow technically, and not just any Arrancar, an Espada.

No matter how Ichigo looked at it, he was an enemy, even if he didn't believe it at first. How would they have even worked out? It was beyond him and he didn't want to think about it. It hurt his head and other parts of him too much.

Those other parts, he desperately did not want to admit.

When Karin came in, she shut his door and padded over. When she placed her pillow down beside Ichigo's she almost tripped and when she looked down she blinked. "Who's shoes are these?"

Ichigo peered around and he stared at the familiar sandals. "His," he answered.

Karin arched an eyebrow, but didn't comment as she slid them under the bed and crawled in next to him. "I won't ask Ichi-nii, I'll just sleep."

Ichigo smiled weakly and ruffled her head. "Good night, Karin." That was how Karin always was, the two had a strange silent connection. He couldn't exactly lie to her and he could trust her with his secrets more than anyone.

"Sweet dreams, Ichi-nii," she murmured curling up beside him.

Ichigo didn't think he would be having any sweet dreams on that night, he was sure of it. He laid his head back and tilted his head, looking toward the open window.

Why did he even care? He scowled, damn sick Espada.


	4. Volume 04

_**oOo Volume 04 oOo**_

After hours of trekking through the deserted forests of Hueco Mundo and devouring every weak Gillian in sight and slaughtering any potential Adjucas, he threw himself down onto a rock and laid back, staring into the consistent sky of darkness.

He glared at it briefly, before closing his eyes. He knew that he was in the wrong and he felt it in the very pit of his chest straight down into his stomach and it was like his Hollow hole didn't exist, instead it was filled with a tumbling sickness of regret.

Grimmjow ran a hand over his face tiredly. He knew he shouldn't have said what he did, every time he got closer to what he could have, he fucked it up and let it slip from his grip. He knew Ichigo hadn't meant it that way but his predatory instincts, those Hollow feelings of negativity spread through him, fueling anger in the wrong direction.

He could still feel the slight pain from where his groin had taken a sharp thrust from Ichigo's knee. He deserved it. It wasn't Ichigo's fault for anything and he was just a teenager, but he was a different kind of teenager. He cared so much for his family, he was always careful around his little sisters, doing everything and anything for them and never asking for anything in return. He was the same way with his friends and Grimmjow had almost been one of those friends and he blew it.

How much worse could he have fucked up? Saying the shit he did, he pretty much treated Ichigo like some spiteful seducing Fraccion whore.

If Grimmjow had a gag reflex he probably would have thrown up, it was a good thing he didn't. There was a stir in the woods and yellow eyes flashed causing Grimmjow to sit stretch out his right hand and without even opening his eyes, he charged a Cero and blasted it toward the grove of trees, obliterating everything in sight.

Little fuckers, they didn't need to bother him while he was trying to think clearly.

However long it was, Grimmjow didn't know, but when he decided to go back to the Living World it was already morning. He winced as the bright rays of _real_ sun glared down on him as if threatening him. He glared right back up at it and quickly hid himself properly. He wasn't so used to the day, in Las Noches, there were blue skies and sun but it was fake and Grimmjow could tell the difference immediately.

He masked his reiatsu completely and then perched on a building away from Kurosaki Clinic and simply sat there, feeling like a fucking idiot for the brooding he was doing inwardly. He could see over quite perfectly, Ichigo's window was still wide open but he couldn't really make out if anyone was in the room or not. He could feel Ichigo's reiatsu along with the rest of his family.

"Ichi-nii!" The familiar voice from last night called out and when the doors opened, Grimmjow saw a little black haired girl that looked similar to Ichigo. She was hobbling on one foot while trying the shoe of her other. "_Ichi-nii!_"

"Coming!"

Grimmjow sucked in a breath and he leaned over further and saw Ichigo appearing, the same beautiful scowl in place on his face. He was wearing different clothes than his shinigami threads. Loose fitting black jeans, a black tank top, and over that tank top was a white jean jacket. His hair bright and wild, defying gravity much like his own.

"We're supposed to meet that pervert in an hour!"

Ichigo snorted. "No kidding, Urahara-san can wait."

"Onii-chan! Karin-chan, don't forget your breakfast!" The other little girl rushed out with two plates and held them out. "I won't have you starving to death!"

"Thanks Yuzu," Karin said with a smile.

"Yah, thinks. We'll be back later."

Yuzu bobbed her head. "I'll straighten your room, Onii-chan!" she declared excitedly.

Ichigo gave her one of his rare smiles and Grimmjow cringed at the envy he felt. Dammit! He really fucked things up, didn't he? Not only that but the word pathetic didn't even describe what he was any longer. There had to be a better word for it, something harsher, but to hell if Grimmjow knew what it was.

Grimmjow moved from building to building while following Ichigo and his little sister. They were racing down the block and Ichigo purposely slowed letting the raven-haired little girl win. She hooted and jumped about. "You're getting slow Ichi-nii."

"So I am," Ichigo replied slowing into a lazy walk.

Grimmjow was sent reeling back like a cat when he saw their destination and felt an overwhelming amount of reiatsu. It wasn't the wild kind like Ichigo's, no, it was well controlled but it was dangerous and it was hot. It smelled of a blood consuming type of reiatsu.

Someone was in that building that was damn strong and Grimmjow felt his eyes dilate at the taste of reiatsu that wafted over him. It was delicious but in a different way than Ichigo's. He wanted to kill whoever it belonged too, he wanted to devour their soul and he flinched, resisting the temptation.

He had already fucked his chances with Ichigo, he didn't want to make it worse. Grimmjow growled when Ichigo and 'Karin' entered the shop and he could no longer see them, although he could feel them. Even hers, he could feel. He plopped down on the building overlooking the shop and simply waited.

Patience was not a virtue he possessed and it wasn't one he liked, his body stirred as he thought about Ichigo and more regret built up inside of him causing the man to grit his teeth. He hated this feeling, Hollows weren't supposed to feel regret, they weren't supposed to have these sort of instincts riling them up.

Grimmjow certainly never felt anything like it and perhaps that was why he was so drawn in. Ichigo brought out a new side to him, a side that he had been missing for decades. He hung his head, knowing he was fucking doomed.

But damn if he wasn't sorry for the way he treated Ichigo. He clasped his hands together and propped his forearms up on his knees. His feet were spread apart a little and he simply stared, keeping a tab on the wild thread of energy that Ichigo possessed.

Within the amount of hours that he waited, Ichigo's reiatsu spiked to massive proportions before taking a massive drop causing Grimmjow to flinch and lean up. Something akin to a heart pounded inside of his chest, he knew it wasn't his heart, but it was something and dread built up inside.

But before he could make a reckless move to figure out what happened, the doors to the shop opened and a large man stepped out with two children. A pigtailed dark haired girl and a redheaded boy.

"Gah! Carrot just has to destroy the entire underground when he collapses from exhaustion doesn't he?" the redhead scowled.

"Well Jinta-kun, Kurosaki-san worked hard and he doesn't give up without a fight," the pigtailed girl informed.

"Oh please! I can beat him any day! But does he always have to destroy the underground when they're training? I mean, we're the ones who have to repair it!"

"That's the boss' training for you," the big guy said with a grunt. "It's nice to know that Karin-dono takes an interest in her big brother's training. That girl has a powerful kick, she could easily become a shinigami."

'Jinta' grunted. "Like Carrot will let her, he literally screamed his head off at Yoruichi-san for merely suggesting it!"

"I think it's nice, Kurosaki-san cares a lot for Karin-san."

"Hmph, not nice, it's annoying!"

"Mind yourself," the big guy warned.

Jinta went red. "Of course Tessai-san."

Grimmjow was tired of the conversation but at least he knew Ichigo was alright and just in training. That was why his power spiked before taking a nose dive. Whoever was training him was strong and he was dying to know who.

(o)

Ichigo took every ounce of anger he had out on the defensive blond, who twirled, dodged, and sank down low to the ground only to sweep Ichigo up and sliding effortlessly out of his defense mode.

Karin was sitting on the rock watching the fight and she knew that her Ichi-nii was infuriated and it had to do with the owner of the shoes from last night. She wished she could ask what it was, but if she knew her Ichi-nii then she knew that asking would be pointless, because she'd have the same reaction as him if he was asking her.

Urahara Kisuke smiled slyly when Ichigo's palm shot out and he blocked it swiftly. The aggression pooled out with his wild reiatsu. "You seem a little annoyed, Ichigo." Ever since they began hand-to-hand combat training, Urahara had dropped all formalities and it was the same with Ichigo.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked spinning around and catching Urahara behind the knees at the exact same time hands came up and clasped his wrist bringing him down to the mounds of dirt in the secret underground training facility.

"Oh, very, you're feistier than usual, not that I mind. It makes for a cute Ichigo."

Urahara barely dodged the foot to his head and parried to the side only to be caught by the other knee to his rib. Ow, that was going to leave a mark, he thought spinning downward only to shoot back up when Ichigo caught onto his plan.

Ichigo was pissed, he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep last night and he felt like shit and it didn't help that he allowed Grimmjow to actually hurt him on a level that he refused to allow people to get onto. "I'm pissed at myself."

"I see, I see. Well, you can talk to me, Ichigo, you know that."

"It's complicated," Ichigo growled whirling around and wincing when Urahara caught his arms and pulled them until his chest was pressing into the back of Ichigo. "Very complicated," he grunted.

"How complicated?" Urahara taking in the scent of sweat and Ichigo. It was mixed and mingled and Urahara couldn't deny that he didn't enjoy these sessions where he got Ichigo close.

"What was I thinking?" Ichigo growled bringing his foot back and snapping it on Urahara's knee, sending the shopkeeper yelping and flying back. Ichigo swiveled around and bent over, hand pressed into the dirt while the other clutched his bruised side.

"I don't know, tell me," Urahara said pausing briefly.

Ichigo scowled darkly and then moved into a squatting position, taking his eyes off Urahara completely and stared off in the distance. "What do you think of the Espada?"

Urahara froze and when he looked at Ichigo, he nearly gasped, when he saw something akin to pain across his face. This wasn't good. "I don't really know, they seem normal for the most part."

Ichigo thought about Kon's words yesterday, about how Urahara could help him. He didn't know if he could formulate the words but he had never been in such a situation. Sure, he'd been groped timelessly by Kenpachi and Yumichika, both enjoying his childish reactions to their advances, but this was different.

"I had sex with Grimmjow," Ichigo confessed quietly, so that Karin couldn't hear.

Urahara had expected a lot of things, perhaps befriending an Arrancar in an unusual way, but never would he have expected to hear those five words tumble out of the strawberry's mouth.

"Oh dear."

Ichigo closed his eyes. "That's not even half of it." He sank the rest of the way down and brushed his filthy face with his even more filthy hands.

Urahara sat in front of him cross-legged. "Tell me."

"Well, I should correct that, he had sex with me and I didn't even know it."

"It was that bad?"

Ichigo snorted and laughed despite the situation. "No, I was asleep."

"Ooh! Sompnophiliac."

Ichigo wrinkled his nose. "I think it was more; I was laying there, he wanted me, and he took me, damn the consequences. Now, I was furious about it at first, not to mention, I was so fucking sick! But, despite that, I decided to see what Grimmjow's motives were and I played nice when he showed up last night and he wasn't so bad."

Urahara gave a typical hum. "You like this Espada?" he asked feeling a little giddy. This was so much better than daytime TV. Ichigo and an Espada, he could just see the program getting high ratings and every fan girl and boy glued to their set.

Ichigo growled. "Why the fuck would I? He has the most ridiculous temper and he twists everything I say! He's a prick."

"But you like him," Urahara repeated.

"No!"

Urahara quirked an eyebrow, he had no hat on, because he didn't want it damaged and so Ichigo could see all his facial expressions. "Don't lie, Ichigo. It's easier to deal with it, when you admit the easiest part."

"I don't know, he's like a fucking ticking time bomb! One minute, he's fine and the next, he's flipping out. I didn't mind him, I mean Grimmjow's not exactly nasty to look at and he's not that bad."

"He's a lot like you, just on another side," Urahara surmised.

"I guess, but I don't take my anger out on people who don't deserve it and I don't twist others words."

"He may seem human, Ichigo, but he's not," Urahara reminded. "He's a Hollow, no matter how you look at it, and I'm not going to say that because he's a Hollow you should get the notion of him out of your head. I'm telling you this because, remember why Hollows devour souls?"

"Pain."

Urahara nodded. "Grimmjow is a Hollow turned into a man, he is without his mask and he has about a million and one instincts riling through him. For as long as he could remember, he never had positive instincts, he only ever felt good when he was fighting. Now, bring you in, a human crossover shinigami with Hollow powers. Someone who not only matches him equally in temperament but power. You are perfect equals in a match. He is fueled by it and he takes it to new heights, he realizes he can't stop being around you. You bring out instincts and feelings that a Hollow shouldn't have and he is obsessed. He's devouring it and yet he doesn't know how to react with the aftermath, especially if it comes to being 'happy.'"

"So he turns into a prick?"

"Pretty much."

"I'm not making allowances for him! What he said last night, pissed me off to hell and back," Ichigo growled. "I could care less if I ever saw him again."

"Don't lie to yourself."

"Why are you encouraging me?"

"I'm not," Urahara stated. "I'm telling you the truth and whether it sounds like encouragement it's not. You and I both know how dangerous Arrancars are, especially, Espada's."

"He wasn't so bad, he's not a sycophant."

"He's making the best of a bad situation," Urahara voiced Ichigo's very words from last night.

"Fuck, why does it have to be this fucked up? Why can't things be simple?"

"If they were simple, you would be bored and you and I wouldn't be sitting here having this discussion, now would we?" Urahara asked with a sly smirk.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, but didn't deny it as he crossed his arms over his chest. He glanced over to see Karin sitting and watching them, he knew she too was concerned, especially after he confessed that someone had been in his room last night, but there was no way he could tell her what he told Urahara.

Not only was she a twelve-year-old, but she was his sister, and no matter how mature she was, this was his problem, he would not go telling his family that the reason he had been sick last week was because of Grimmjow.

That would be like tossing a rabbit into a batch of piranhas, although, he'd never tell Grimmjow that he was the rabbit.

Sometimes, families could be the most vicious.

(o)

Karin left the shop before her Ichi-nii, even though he was in his spiritual form, he had insisted on taking a shower. She knew that whatever had been bugging him, hat-and-clog pervert helped him. She couldn't help but feel proud of her Ichi-nii, he really was something else. He was strong and he only kept getting stronger, but she couldn't help but wonder who it was that had Ichi-nii's attention.

She knew it was a male, to be honest, Karin couldn't help but prefer a guy in Ichi-nii's life than a female. It wasn't that she had anything against them, she thought Orihime was beautiful and Rukia was cool but how could they possibly keep up with her Ichi-nii?

No, he needed someone rough and someone that will never let him settle down. She knew her Ichi-nii better than the rest of her family, she'd always had.

It was a little after six o' clock, she couldn't believe they'd been in Urahara's underground for six hours.

She took the long way home, trekking through the deserted park so that she could gather her thoughts. She wondered briefly if Ichi-nii's interest was good looking? He'd never had an interest before, but she expected someone strong, someone rough, and most likely someone with a lot of scandal.

Ichi-nii could never do things that were simple.

A cold distilled air fluttered through the park, it picked up her hair and swirled it around her face. She shivered and brushed the stray pieces away when a strange sound of something being ripped caught her attention and immediately, she turned her gaze up into the darkening skies and her eyes went wide when she saw the backdrop being torn apart at the seams. It was like something in a movie and she yelped when she saw that something slip out, it was gigantic. It was like a grim reaper with its robe and a primitive white mask with a long beaky nose.

The eyes were a vicious shade of yellow and before Karin could run, the ground shook when it stepped out squashing the swing set in the distance. The Hollow was nothing like she'd ever seen before, it let out a keening wail.

"Ichi-nii!" Fear laced through her entire body. She'd faced some Hollows before, quite a few, but she always had someone around to help her. Ichi-nii or one of his friends. "ICHI-NII!" She turned tail and ran for it, there was nothing she could do to it. She could take on weak ones if she had a ball or something to kick, but this… this was gargantuan in size.

The ground continued to shake and the thing swayed form side to side, opening it's jaws and crying out. It chilled her to the bone. Nearby benches and trees were crushed and Karin screamed as it got closer and she had to dodge out of the way from a destroyed oak. She hid behind a grove of trees and peeked out to see that it was going the other way and her heart drilled with fear.

If it hit the city, it would be destroyed, not to mention all the innocent people. Where was her brother? There was another howl in the distance and Karin swallowed the lump of fear in her throat as she rushed out recklessly and shouted up at it.

"Yo! Fat ass! Over here you great big freak!" If she could keep it chasing her until her Ichi-nii got back, she'd be alright. The Hollow was obviously slow as molasses, what more could it do but crush with its big feet? It turned and she smirked. "Yah, I'm talking to you! Come get me ugly!"

It turned on its course and began to move slowly and Karin backed up. Heh, maybe it wasn't a smart idea, but it was better than letting others get crushed. She backed up quicker than it walked, keeping a good distance. She yelped as it slammed it's foot down on a nearby merry-go-round and she stumbled before falling on her back.

She jumped up quickly only to take another tumble. "Ichi-nii….!" She screamed desperately and to her surprise the Hollow stopped, still glaring at her and Karin wondered what it was doing and she found out a little too soon. A thick dangerous red energy began to charge at its mouth and while Karin may not be the brightest when it came to knowledge of Hollows, she knew that whatever it was about to spill could not be good.

She tried to run, but the fear kept her buckled on the ground, and she closed her eyes and brought her arm up to shield her face. "Ichi-nii…" she pleaded under her breath when something white fluttered through the air and strong arms curled around her tiny body. Whatever or whoever it was scooped her up before darting around the destroyed merry-go-round.

Karin shakily brought her hand down and her eyes widened when she saw a blue haired, blue-eyed person she'd never seen before in her life. He was clad in white and he had a broken mask of teeth on one side of his face. She whimpered when he clutched her tight and then she gasped when he turned his back from the Hollow and caught the blood red ball in the back.

Grimmjow growled low as he felt his jacket shredding, leaving an annoying burning mark on his tough skin. "Alright you little fucker, you call that a goddamn Cero? I'll show you Cero!" He whirled around, little girl still in his arms and he thrust his hand out and charged his own, this one brighter and with more deadly force than before.

A shrill sang through the air as Karin's eyes clenched shut at the light. Whatever he was, he wasn't human but he wasn't a shinigami either. She curled in against her savior's chest and buried her face into it as her whole body shook; the gigantic Hollow began to scream in what sounded like agony.

"_Karin!_"

The Menos Grande began to disintegrate into a million black particles, Grimmjow saw Ichigo fly over the top of the trees, he landed with a strange sort of grace where the Menos had once been, his gaze had a look of horror as he took in the area and Grimmjow.

Ichigo thought he would throw up as he made his way to where Grimmjow had his little sister curled in his arms. "Is she…?"

"She's fine, Ichigo," Grimmjow said straightening up and gazing down at the little girl. "Where've you been?"

Ichigo scowled. "That goddamn worthless shinigami got in my way and that wasn't the only Gillian! There was another, right outside of where I was."

Grimmjow didn't sneer as he brought Karin around and handed her to Ichigo. "She's a little scared, but it didn't touch her." She was clutched to Grimmjow's partially destroyed jacket.

Ichigo felt his knees go weak as he took her into his arms. "Karin?"

"I- Ichi-nii?" Karin released him and gazed up at Ichigo.

"I'm sorry, Karin." He clutched her tight as she winced and struggled a bit.

"Argh, Ichi…." She was feeling dizzy and a bit of unsettled, all that fear and movement had really gotten to her.

"She can't breathe, shinigami," Grimmjow explained causing Karin to look over her shoulder at her savior once more and when she looked back at Ichigo, she saw the two were locked on one another. She then looked over her shoulder and down to see socks but no shoes.

"Mr. Blue-Mask, your shoes are at our house," she murmured before giving into the dizzy black sensation.

"Karin!" Ichigo moved her to the ground where he leveled her head.

Grimmjow came down next to her, his eyes still on Ichigo who was now checking her heart.

"Thank you," Ichigo whispered sincerely.

Grimmjow tore his eyes away from Ichigo, he was really feeling guilty and pathetic with the way he acted. "I'm sorry," he said stiffly.

Ichigo smiled a little. "I think you've made up for it."

"Not really," Grimmjow murmured. "This shit drives me nuts, I can't deal with it well. I didn't mean what I said."

Ichigo leaned over Karin and peered around at Grimmjow's back. "Ouch."

"Eh, it's nothing," he dismissed.

"Bull!" Ichigo argued gripping the Espada's shoulder and turning to get a better look. "It looks awful, Grimmjow!"

Grimmjow swallowed at the close proximity and replied to Ichigo with a sharp demanding kiss.

Apart of Ichigo wanted to shove Grimmjow away, but another part, a very big part couldn't help but grab Grimmjow by the front of his jacket and slice his tongue passed the Arrancar's lips. Ichigo breathed in deeply through his nose and let go, his fingers flexing until they were flat against the man's chest, when he pulled back, he turned away briefly.

"They'll be here soon," Ichigo whispered.

"Who?"

"Soul Society, this can't go unnoticed, the shinigami that was in charge of the town was killed."

Grimmjow snorted. "Probably fuckin' deserved it."

"He got in my way," Ichigo said not wanting to agree but his sister meant more to him than some half-baked shinigami. "If he had just stood back, I could have gotten through and been here in no time. What were you doing?"

"I came to apologize," Grimmjow admitted without feeling so pathetic. He looked away. "I saw your sister leave the shop and no one was with her, so I followed her. I know what she means to you."

Ichigo's gaze softened as well as his facial features. "I'm glad you were there. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost a second family member to a Hollow."

"Good thing I was there then, shinigami," Grimmjow said smugly.

Arrogance, just what he would expect of Grimmjow. "Why were two Menos here?" Ichigo then asked.

"No idea," Grimmjow admitted. "Aizen wouldn't have sent them, he's in too bad of shape still. They might have followed me, but that's impossible, I've been in the living world since about eleven this morning and they only just showed."

Ichigo looked at Grimmjow curiously but he didn't comment, he had a feeling that the Espada had been here for more than apologizing. He wouldn't have been surprised if he'd followed Ichigo the whole day.

There was a crackle of energy in the air and Ichigo winced. "You better go."

"Do you want me to go?" Grimmjow asked leaning into Ichigo and brushing his jagged jaw mask against the warm skin.

"You have to go," Ichigo said resisting the shiver. "I don't want them to catch you here. They'll take you in for sure." Grimmjow briefly felt insulted but Ichigo placed his fingers to the man's lips. "Please, don't start again, Grimmjow."

Scowling, Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "I'm not, I don't like the idea of shinigami getting the better of me."

"They'll most likely send a Captain, considering the level of this. I don't want you caught up in it, whether you can take them or not."

The energy got stronger and Ichigo could feel it under his skin, Grimmjow too. "Fine." He moved away and stood.

"You don't have to stay gone," Ichigo stated hoisting his little sister up into his arms. He cradled her like a baby and leveled her head so that she rested on his chest.

Grimmjow accepted the invitation and inclined his head. "See you, Ichigo."

In a flash, he was gone as the crossed fuma doors of Soul Society's Senkai Gate appeared from nowhere and a black butterfly fluttered out leading one well known shinigami in its wake.


	5. Volume 05

_**A/N: Sorry about the small wait, hehe, I've been playing Resident Evil 4. Gah, I LOVE Leon and Luis. They are AWESOME, but I can't stand Ashley… if anyone has ever played the game, how long do I have to keep her tagging behind me? She's in the WAY. Anyway, thanks everyone for reading. If I haven't answered your reviews, I sorry. **_

_**oOo Volume 05 oOo**_

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Kuchiki Byakuya addressed as he took a cursory glance around the park and then honed in on the child in his arms.

"Yo! Byakuya."

Byakuya glared at him briefly. "We got a report of a Menos Gillian in the area and the fall of the resident shinigami."

Ichigo scowled. "Your report is wrong," he said darkly. "There were two Menos and I only just got to this second one because of that idiot!"

"Second?"

"Yah, my little sister was walking home and ran into it. She can see Hollows and shinigami."

"We need to go somewhere to talk about this."

"Urahara's shop then, that's where I left my body. Here take this." He handed Zangetsu to Byakuya and adjusted his little sister.

Byakuya moved into place next to Ichigo. "What of the shinigami?"

"Asshole got in my way when I was deflecting it's Cero. I saved him once but he jumped in again at the wrong time. I almost left the Menos there."

"There's no body then."

"Nope. Where's Renji?"

"On another assignment with Madarame-san, two Menos were spotted on the outskirts of Rukongai."

"So it's not just here," Ichigo said shaking his head. "I wondered why they suddenly appeared. There's been no activity for weeks."

"We suspect it's Aizen."

"No," Ichigo rebuked looking straight ahead. "From what I heard, he's still in bad shape and he doesn't have the man power at the moment."

Byakuya looked at him sharply. "How do you know this?"

"A whisper in the wind," Ichigo answered with a smirk. In other words, he wasn't telling and Byakuya acknowledged that considering his sharp look became pointier.

Urahara Shop came into view and the blond was already waiting. "Ichigo?"

"It's fine," Ichigo insisted as he held the door open.

Ichigo laid Karin on the futon in the guest room and covered her small body. He breathed a sigh of relief before picking up his own body and slipping into it.

Adjusting his shoulders, he rushed a hand through his hair and nodded to Urahara as Tessai served some tea.

"It is rather curious as to why the Menos are suddenly appearing without any of the weaker ones following," Urahara hummed.

"Thank you," Byakuya said to Tessai who bowed respectfully.

Ichigo took a long drink of his and plopped down next to Urahara.

Byakuya asked Ichigo to tell him what happened from the beginning and he did, while leaving Grimmjow out of it.

Urahara noticed the hole in Ichigo's story. It wasn't possible for Ichigo to get to both at the same time, not with the other shinigami attempting to show off.

Byakuya also noticed as he placed his tea cup down.

"It seems, Kurosaki Ichigo that you're leaving something important out."

"Nothing," Ichigo insisted taking several more gulps. "I told you what I know."

"Your sister, how did she escape the Gillian?"

"She ran," Ichigo answered. "I heard her shouting for me. I can hear her for miles, whether I'm near or not. I felt her fear."

"Ichi-nii?"

Ichigo whirled around to see Karin standing by the door, rubbing her eyes with one hand while clutching the wall with the other.

"Karin! Are you alright?" he asked as she came over without giving Byakuya a single glance and leaned into him.

"I'm fine Ichi-nii who was that?" Her eyes widened when she finally took notice of the other shinigami's hard glare at her brother and saw Urahara discreetly shaking his head. "Eh, never mind," she took Ichigo's tea without even asking and took a few drinks before slipping into his lap. "What was that thing?"

"A Menos Grande," Ichigo explained and he told her of their levels.

"There are bigger ones?"

"Not bigger, but more dangerous and vicious. They're smarter."

"What did he look like?" Byakuya asked Karin.

Karin blinked. "Who are you?" she asked bluntly.

Byakuya seemed to remember his manners. "My name is Kuchiki Byakuya, I'm a Captain of the Gotei 13."

"Oh," Karin said glancing back at Ichigo and back to Byakuya. "I see, your Rukia's brother."

"I am. What did this person look like?"

Ichigo squeezed Karin's sides gently to warn her and she caught on quickly.

"It was Ichi-nii," Karin lied baldly. "I didn't recognize him."

"Probably because Ichigo was masked," Urahara intervened smoothly. "I don't think Karin-san has ever seen Ichigo's Vizard form."

Byakuya didn't buy it but he knew that he wouldn't get anything out of the little girl now. "I can tell that you are holding something back and while it is my job to pry, I have a feeling I do not want to know. But don't expect the same courtesy if such a thing was to occur again." He placed his cup of tea aside. "Kurosaki Ichigo, show me where the shinigami fell?"

"Ah, yah," Ichigo said as Karin moved off him. "I'll be back Karin."

"Alright, Ichi-nii."

Ichigo almost scowled when he left the shop and he felt as though he were being watched. Damn Grimmjow! He thought shoving his hands into his pockets and glaring at the sidewalk. Did he want to get caught?

Byakuya paused and he could see scorch marks in the ground from the Cero's fired. "Using Shunpo it would take you approximately five minutes to reach the park and if the Menos appeared at the same time, you would not have had any time to get the second if the shinigami had interfered. Your sister has a high amount of spiritual concentration so the Hollow would have targeted her immediately."

Ichigo crossed his arms. He refused to explain the inconsistency and his look must have been enough because Byakuya shifted to look at him better and all was silent.

"You won't tell me, will you?"

"I would never say a word about someone who saved my little sister when I could not, whether they're supposed to be an enemy or not."

That told Byakuya a lot, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked right up to Ichigo. He leaned in and brushed his cheek along Ichigo's as he whispered into his ear. "Then I suppose the inconsistency lies in your perfect timing then."

Ichigo's eyes widened, he was stunned by Byakuya's sudden change on authority. Seeing the gesture for what it was, Ichigo bowed his head. "A whisper in the wind," he said for the second time.

"Don't make me regret it, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo frowned and looked away. "I hope you don't either."

When Byakuya brushed passed, Ichigo thought he could hear the words, 'Do as you wish Kurosaki Ichigo, owing you all these debts is becoming tiresome.'

But he couldn't have been too sure.

Once Byakuya had disappeared, there was a swoop, and the raw musk scent filtered over Ichigo from behind. "Who the hell was that pussy?" Grimmjow growled.

"Kuchiki Byakuya, Sixth Division Captain, and he may look pretty but he's got a better developed Bankai than I ever could."

"Pfft, I bet I could take him," he sneered.

Ichigo didn't answer to that, whether it was true or not, he wouldn't endorse Grimmjow or Byakuya. "I thought I told you to go."

Grimmjow scoffed. "As if I would listen to you, Ichigo, besides, I didn't like the looks of that pretty boy." He really hadn't been pleased with how close he got, it bothered him on a level he really wished not to talk about.

Resisting the roll of his eyes, Ichigo turned around and he wasn't exactly sure what he was going to say to Grimmjow, a thank you would be redundant, he'd done it once and that was enough and neither of them were the mushy type. But before he could get anything out there was a clip-clop of sandals on the pavement.

Ichigo shifted as Grimmjow tensed up at the thick blood boiling danger of reiatsu that was so well controlled and tight that he was sure it could match Aizen's.

"Ah, it seems I came at the right time," Urahara said appearing with hat, cane, and his whole get up.

The light streamed across him from the streetlights and Urahara raised his head and eyed Grimmjow. "You must be the Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Jaegarjaquez."

"Who the hell are you?" Grimmjow asked bluntly.

"Such theatrics, Kisuke. Stop showing off. Grimmjow, this is Urahara Kisuke, he's the creator of the Hougyoku."

Grimmjow's eyes went round at the information. "I see."

"I think we should go back to my shop, perhaps have some tea."

"How's Karin?"

"She's fine, she felt bad that she almost spilled your secret, but we seemed to have it covered well."

Grimmjow looked sideways at Ichigo to see him contemplating. What the hell was going on? This was the man that trained Ichigo? If this was the creator of the Hougyoku, it was no fucking wonder that his reiatsu was so tantalizing. He was on par with Aizen and it stood to reason why Ichigo could face the God-wanna-be-shinigami without little to no fear.

For once, Grimmjow almost felt insignificant.

Karin was waiting patiently for them to return and she stood quickly when she saw her blue haired savior. "Mr. Blue Mask!"

She was a lot like Ichigo, he thought. "Just what the hell were you doing out there kiddo?" Grimmjow asked bending down with his hands in his pockets to stare at her eye level. "Calling out to that Hollow."

Ichigo looked at his sister sharply to see her cheeks a little red. "I was hoping to draw it's attention long enough for Ichi-nii to come. If it had gone into the city, no telling what would have happened!" She defended crossing her arms over her chest and the same scowl she gave was one just like Ichigo's.

"Tch, just like him, selfless brats."

Ichigo glared and not-so-gently elbowed Grimmjow in the ribs. "Bastard. I'm sorry, I didn't get there in time, Karin."

Karin waved her hand. "S'alright, Mr. Blue Mask got there. Thanks for that by the way."

"It's Grimmjow, kid."

"Karin then," Karin shot back.

"Ahh, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, everyone have a seat!" Urahara called genially. "I have enough tea to go around. Karin-san, would you mind seeing Tessai about something?"

Karin narrowed her eyes, knowing very well that he simply wanted her out of the way. She looked up at her Ichi-nii who nodded to her. "Alright."

"Don't leave the shop!" Ichigo called out and she waved her hand.

"Of course, Ichi-nii," she dismissed as she left the room.

"A wild evening, I say," Urahara said placing his elbows on the counter and leaning up. "Tell me what happened thoroughly, so I don't mess up the next time I have to cover for you."

Grimmjow was surprised by that and took the tea, even if he didn't want it. Ichigo told him everything and Grimmjow picked up where he left off.

"Ah, I see," Urahara hummed airily. "It's a good thing you were there Grimmjow-san. This not only occurred in Karakura but Soul Society as well."

"He doesn't know anything, Kisuke."

"I know," Urahara said factually. "However, I know why and they won't be last of them."

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked suspiciously.

"Gillian are so famous for one reason and one reason only and it has nothing to do with their size. When they devour a soul it stays inside of them. Whether this is under Aizen's orders or someone else's it stands to reason that whoever is ordering the Gillian to come forth has plans on making new Arrancar. You could say that they are born within a Gillian."

Now that was something that Grimmjow didn't know and they were part of his own race.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "But if Aizen is in too bad of a way, who is dictating them?"

"Grimmjow-san, you don't have to answer if you think you will be held accountable but what Espada are left?"

Grimmjow arched an eyebrow at the strange wording of the question. He didn't really give a damn and since it was for Ichigo he didn't care to answer. "Starrk, Baraggan, Nnoitra, and Nel Tu. Starrk is too fucking lazy to get out of bed, Nnoitra doesn't do allies and Nel Tu is just a brat."

"Baraggan is the second Espada, the one that went up against Captain Soi Fon of the Gotei 13 and he's not dead but he had claimed to be the King of Hueco Mundo," Urahara said leaning back. "Aizen would not allow him to remain in Las Noches after the arrogant attempt on his life."

Grimmjow wondered how the hell he knew everything when he hadn't been there at the time. "He still claims it but he's a bull shitter. As far as I know, he's residing in the Forest of Menos."

"Shouldn't we have told Byakuya this?" Ichigo asked.

"Could have but no one would have believed us without proof," Urahara said lightly.

"Such as you predicting Aizen from the start."

Grimmjow glanced at Urahara shrewdly as the man smiled sadly. "I wish my theories had been wrong. I knew what Aizen was up too, I kept having that feeling and Shinji-san had it to and it was why he kept his distance. Sadly, it all came to pass right down to the most insignificant detail."

"So, we're just going to let this happen?" Ichigo asked darkly. "It seems to me that this Baraggan whoever he is, I got there too late to know, but he seems to be trying to make an army."

"The old fashioned way, using Gillian to gather souls of humans, considering his aspect of death is aging."

Too much information, he didn't understand a damn bit of it, but he nodded anyway, and yawned behind his hand. "Tomorrow I have school and a damn test," he grumbled darkly. "I'm exhausted. I think I'll take Karin home if there's nothing else?"

"If there is, I'll let you know. If you don't mind, Ichigo, I wouldn't mind speaking with Grimmjow-san a little longer." He smiled innocently making Ichigo's eyes narrow as Grimmjow shrugged.

"I don't care," he replied. It didn't escape Grimmjow that if there was a chance for him to get out from under Aizen Sousuke's thumb then Urahara Kisuke might be someone he might want to consider. From their particular conversation, Grimmjow just knew that with Urahara's mind and Ichigo's firepower the successor in such a battle was too obvious.

Urahara Kisuke wasn't arrogant. Aizen Sousuke was. Urahara knew facts about Aizen that even he didn't know, he also had grand knowledge of Hueco Mundo, knowledge that Grimmjow had no idea about.

It wouldn't hurt to see if there were other options. The only downside is less fighting but that could be squashed by other enjoyable things and he glanced over at Ichigo as he thought about them. He had to do a lot to hide his hunger when raked the teen up and down with his eyes like he always did.

Ichigo was simply delicious.

"Alright, see you." He looked briefly at Grimmjow before slipping out the door.

The both of them sat in silence until Ichigo and Karen's spiritual energy disappeared completely.

"Well, this has been a very interesting development," Urahara mused as he got up and retrieved a bottle of alcohol inside of a hidden cupboard. He took two shot glasses and placed one in front of Grimmjow. "It's your fault that my kidneys are bruised. It's rare to get Ichigo so worked up."

"How long have you known him?" Grimmjow asked necking back the burning alcohol. He'd never had the stuff before but it was nice, it stung his throat and tongue.

"Not as long as it would seem," Urahara answered smiling a bit. "Ichigo is not like most humans, Grimmjow and he is nothing like a shinigami."

"What the hell is he then?" Grimmjow growled holding out his glass for more. He was feeling a little light headed and it was nice.

"No, he's not a Siren," Urahara teased.

"A what?"

"A Siren is a term we use for someone who has an alluring quality that you just can't help but follow. In fact, Ichigo doesn't quite understand himself. You are not the first to set your eyes on him. I can tick off two-thirds of Gotei 13 that would do anything to get close to Ichigo, Captains included."

Grimmjow's eyes narrowed at that. What was Urahara saying? That he had competition? Like hell he did. "So that pretty boy was up to something?"

"Doubtful," Urahara dismissed. "I'll agree with you that Kuchiki-san does have an interest in Ichigo, but it would never come to light. For one, Kuchiki-san is too proud and two, Ichigo and Kuchiki-san would kill each other. The attraction would be there, but that wouldn't last long."

"And you?"

Chuckling softly, Urahara leaned back against the wall and drew his legs under him. "What about me? I'm his sensei and that's all he sees me as."

"That's bull shit," Grimmjow growled.

"Whatever my feelings may be for Ichigo has no bearings on his own, Grimmjow-san. Do you mean to ask if Ichigo showed an interest would I take the initiative?" Urahara smirked. "Only an idiot would say no to Ichigo. What I'm saying is, I am not surprised with your interest, Grimmjow-san, whether you're an Arrancar or not makes no difference to me."

"What does then? I have a feeling that you're going somewhere threatening with this."

"Not at all, not at all." Urahara waved his hand nonchalantly. "What makes the difference to me, Grimmjow-san is Aizen." He turned very serious. "I told you that if given the chance, I would snap Ichigo up in an instant. It has been known that Aizen has the same taste as me, not only that, but he has no problem with his persuasions. If for any reason, Ichigo was to wind up in the same room as Aizen, I will bet my Zanpakuto that he would be out to claim him and not only that but he would succeed."

Grimmjow sneered. "That fucked up, God-wanna-be-bastard won't succeed in shit!" The mere thought made his blood heat up to a scorching temperature and he necked back his third shot of alcohol.

"Oooh, you really are a hot-headed one," Urahara mused aloud. "Although, I'm not all that surprised. If I had known that seducing Ichigo in his sleep was one way to get him to glance my way, I would have done it when I first met him."

That was annoying, Grimmjow glared at Urahara. "He told you then?"

"Pretty much," Urahara admitted unabashedly. "He doesn't usually talk about his personal life, simply because he doesn't have much of one. But, you said some pretty rough things, Grimmjow-san."

"I know," Grimmjow said through clenched teeth.

"Just like you are still a Hollow, Ichigo is still a teenager. You are being bombarded with instincts that are completely out of your depth and the same goes for Ichigo."

"You know him well, don't you?" Grimmjow asked.

"Pretty much, yes," Urahara replied. He arched an eyebrow when Grimmjow took the bottle and poured himself a fourth. "Careful with that, a drunken Arrancar might not be the best."

Grimmjow gazed at him from the side. "I'll deal with it."

"In short Grimmjow-san, if you really want Ichigo, you'll have to choose between Aizen and him." Urahara said taking the bottle before Grimmjow could grab it. "This will be the only time we'll talk about this, because I don't think it needs to be said more than once. But if you choose Aizen, you damn well never show your face to Ichigo again, because he might not have the heart to kill you, but I hold no such reserves."

Grimmjow froze, his defense hackles shot up, and his first instinct was to pounce with ferocity but then, Urahara Kisuke released every ounce of reiatsu he possessed and Grimmjow found his face on the floor as the area flooded and the color of red hazed over his eyes. He was left panting and literally sweating.

"Good night, Grimmjow-san," Urahara said pleasantly as he reeled it all in and left the room.


End file.
